Score your goals

How to achieve success

Want to make more money, land your dream job, or take that overseas trip. Well you can – the secret is learning how to set
effective goals. We show you how, with these five goal setting tips.

1. Planning is everything

Keeping them SMART creates a higher chance of achieving them and the more planning you do the more likely you are to get
to where you want to.

Specific – be clear on your goal, for example: sign up 5 new clients

Measurable – have a way of knowing you can tell when you’ve finished

Achievable – be realistic, otherwise you are setting yourself up for failure

Relevant – make it something you’re interested in

Time based – set a date to complete it by

Finally make sure that your motivation for reaching this goal is high. The more you want something, the easier your goals
are going to be to achieve. Motivation is a personal thing, so find what works for you.

2. Ask for help

Find a partner in crime to help you towards your goal. If it’s a new task seek out a mentor or if it requires additional
input, ask others for their contribution along the way. Research shows that having someone on board to help you stay accountable
will help you stay on track and motivated when you hit challenges (which you will). So if your dream is to run a marathon,
do your training with a friend or partner. They will get you out of bed to run when it’s raining!

3. Create your vision

Write it down or create a vision map, where you stick pictures and words of your goal to a piece of cardboard reflecting
the experience, feelings and thoughts you’ll have when you achieve it. Put your vision map somewhere you can see it every
day. If someone walked into my office today they would know exactly what my business goals are for 2010. Revisiting it daily
helps to keep you connected to it.

4. Don’t give up

Persist. Don’t be put off by any obstacles that stand in your way. The sense of completion fills you with freedom to set
new goals without unfinished goals hanging around. If you get off track then don’t judge it as a failure. Just start again
with some strategies in place to help you if that particular challenge happens again. If you are finding your goals hard
to achieve then shrink them! Take smaller steps in the direction of your dreams. Remember, willpower is not enough to achieve
success, it’s got to be backed by realistic goals.

5. Reward yourself

Relish the pleasure that comes with your achievements. Before moving onto the next one simply bask in the glory first for
a few days and reward yourself for what you have accomplished. The pleasure and fulfilling sense of achievement will free
you up and inspire you to set new goals.